Bloody Ikana
by Icantcomeupwithgoodusernames
Summary: I-Ikana...I did...I did this. I-I...That...m-mask. I'm...s-sorry...So s-sorry. What h-have...I d-done? (Contains OC's and an origin story for Ikana) Rated M for bloody violence, gore, and horror.


It was hot. Really hot. It was as if Din intentionally cranked up the temperature simply because my squadron was in this damned desert. My feet were killing me, my back was sleek with sweat and all of my comrades were whining and moaning about the exact same things I was, albeit more vocal than I. By the grimace he wore, I could tell my captain was rapidly losing what little patience he had with this group. But hey, who could blame us? Three days of nothing but walking in the Garo desert, chasing after footprints is tiring to say the least. Not that I'd say that out loud, given Captain Brutus's short temper. So, I just kept my mouth shut and kept walking. 

The name's Oni Duikana. Currently a low ranking private in the Ikana army. Joining the army wasn't really a dream come true. Since the Great War against the Garo was going rather badly, a draft was issued, and I was lucky enough to be picked. This was my first real mission as a soldier, so I was, as expected, nervous. Had I known all I'd be doing was walking through the desert searching for footprints, I would have fled straight to the Goron Mountains.

"Alright, you pathetic weaklings," my captain bellowed, his last nerve clearly being struck, "we'll rest for twenty minutes, no more. Soon as time's up, we're moving. No questions asked." A relieved roar echoed from my squad. I settled down on the nearest rock and sat motionless, allowing my legs time to rest. My mind went blank as I stared at the sand at my feet, the yellow particles helpless against the gusts of wind.

I snapped back to reality when a loud clang sounded to my right. I looked and was greeted with Captain Brutus's scowl. His square face was moist with sweat, and the light reflected off his copper armor directly into my eyes.

Squinting, I asked "How can I help you, sir?"

He gave me a long stare and merely responded with "Nothing in particular. Just thought it'd be nice to have a chat." My eyebrow unconsciously rose. "You're really damn quiet. And let me tell you, with this group, that should be taken as a compliment." He smiled, displaying slightly yellowed teeth.

"I, uh, just don't have much to say sir," I said hesitantly. I felt my face grow hot, though it wasn't due to the heat. "I mean, I don't see any reason to, uh, complain about the walk. C-Complaining won't make it any e-easier." Goddesses, my stutter decides to rear its ugly head at the worst possible times. It's almost sad. A merchant that can't smooth talk. I had lost many a sale due to my incompetence at speaking. Only me.

Captain Brutus, with the faintest smile still on his lips, gave me a confused look. "I'm not talking about the complaining. Even in the training camps, I didn't see you talk to anyone. It strikes me as strange." I desperately wanted to roll my eyes, for I knew what was going to follow that statement. "I mean, your father didn't know when to stop talking." Ding-ding-ding. Right again. Maybe I should become a psychic instead of staying a merchant.

"Y-yes, I get told that a lot." I stammered, trying to stop an annoyed look from showing on my face. "Were you, uh, my father's commander?"

"Nope. I was a fellow private when he served. Goddesses, that was nearly twenty years ago." Captain Brutus stared at the ground, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Him and I got along real well. We would stay up late in our barracks, talking for hours on end. We'd have competitions to see who was the greatest swordsman in Ikana." He looked straight at me. "It's a real shame what happened to him."

I swallowed hard. "Yeah," I said meekly, "he didn't even get a proper burial. They couldn't find all the pieces of his body." My stomach churned as images of the meat pile that used to be my father flashed through my mind. "Sorry that I can't c-compare to him."

"You kidding me?" the captain responded, grinning. "You certainly inherited his swordsmanship, that's for sure. You know your way around a blade." My face burned again. Again, not because of the heat.

"T-thank you, captain. My father taught me before he left for the desert. He told me if anything happened, I would need to know how to defend myself and my mother." Learning how to wield a sword wasn't my favorite experience. The scars on my arms were a testament to how hard my father swung. "It just, uh, comes naturally now. Although, I never thought I'd have to u-use it against an actual person." And the churning began again. The thought of sticking a blade in flesh did not sit well with me. I doubted I could do it if the conditions required it.

"Well to be honest," Captain Brutus started, "I'm really not in the mood for a fight. I just want to go home. These damned Garo haven't shown their faces for this entire excursion, and my patience is wearing thin." He glanced over at my squadron with a grimace. "And without a doubt, this group wouldn't fare so well in a battle against the Garo."

That struck me harder than it should have. "I-if you don't mind me asking, why do you say that, s-sir? My comrades performed excellently a-at the, uh, training camps."

Captain Brutus leaned in close. His graying beard practically rubbed up against my face. He muttered darkly, "It's one thing to strike a dummy with a fake sword. It's another thing to kill a soldier with a real sword." His yellow eyes filled with dread when he said "And it's a completely different thing to do battle with a Garo." He backed away from my face. I silently thanked the Goddesses, for his breath was nearly enough to incapacitate a man.

The captain stared off in the distance and asked "Oni, you ever see a Garo?"

"Yes, I h-have." The signature brown cloak and dual blades appeared in my mind.

"You ever see one in battle?"

A slight chill rattled my spine. "No...?" I said, slightly afraid of what he was going to say next.

Captain Brutus stared at the sky, shielding his eyes from the harsh rays of the sun. "I'm convinced they're not human. The way they move during battle, it's just not human." I gripped the hilt of my sword tight as he continued. "They leap all over the place. Over your head, right past you. Hell, one even slid between my legs. Their blades cut fast and deep. They're relentless. They don't stop cutting you until you're ready to be served on a platter. And I'm sure you know what happens when they're captured."

I felt my chest beat hard. "T-They...blow themselves up." My father's remains flashed in my head again.

Captain Brutus looked at me, sadness clouding his eyes. "Yeah. The bastards. We haven't gotten a single piece of info from any captured Garo in our entire history with them." The frustration in his voice was becoming more apparent. "And that's why I don't think this group stands a chance. The army has no idea what tactics the Garo use, what their battle plans are. We still don't even know where their capital is. The Garo, on the flipside, have all the info they need. We've been unable to catch any spies. They either escaped or turned into a bloody stain on the ground. The Garo have a clear advantage. If the commanders of the army don't know how to face an enemy, how can we expect the new recruits to face them?"

I sat in silence. Captain Brutus did the same. The only sound was the wind and the murmurs of my fellow soldiers. What the captain just told me was difficult to process, to say the least. An immense fear welled up in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to go home. Desperately. I wanted to crawl into my bed and hear the soft breaths of my sleeping wife. I wanted to go back and poorly coerce common folk into purchasing my wares. I wanted to be anywhere but here in this damned desert.

A strong slap on the back brought me back to Termina. Captain Brutus looked at me and smiled softly. I didn't return the smile. My widened eyes and quivering mouth wouldn't allow it. He stood up, a grunt escaping his lips. My already small stature and the fact that I was sitting made him appear gigantic. He roared, "Alright, men! We're moving out again! Get off your asses and get going!" Still in a bit of a daze, I stood up. I readjusted the sword at my right hip and picked my wooden shield up with my left hand. I shook the white blonde bangs from my eyes and began walking.

We walked for seemingly an eternity. The heat only got worse, and the chainmail I wore under my brown tunic seemed to burn through my undershirt. The footprints of the Garo went on forever, leading us to various abandoned buildings and ruins.

"Alright men. Stop." Captain Brutus said aloud, raising his hand as a signal. Everyone followed his order. I glanced around. We were in the ruins of what I assumed was a temple. Cobblestone pillars were broken and tainted brown by the desert sand, and the doorway to the main hall was broken. There were no walls except for the doorway, and the temple floor was cracked. Pools of sand were randomly spread across the floor. To the right was a staircase that led to a second floor supported by only two pillars. The second floor was broken as well, allowing us a view of the dimming sky. I saw the sun kissing the horizon when I looked back through the doorway.

Various complaints and questions rose from my fifteen comrades. "Why have we stopped?" and "Why haven't we found anything?" and "Was this all for nothing?" I sighed and looked at the captain's face. His bushy eyebrows were furrowed, and his mouth was twisted into a scowl. He impatiently tapped his arms, waiting for the rush of complaints to cease.

When my comrades settled down, Captain Brutus surveyed the entire group and said "We're setting up camp for tonight and continuing our mission in the morning." Another onslaught of complaints. One soldier, with a fox like face and long brown hair stepped forward. "Why do you insist on pursuing this, sir?" He spoke with a pompous tone. I found myself slightly annoyed at his voice.

"Because we aren't done yet. It's as simple as that. Now step back in line, Darke." Captain Brutus said firmly. The name Darke struck me as familiar, and then it hit me. The son of the famous composer Sharp. It amused me how a snob like him felt he could tell the captain what to do.

"Well captain," Darke started, "it is quite obvious that we have been chasing nothing more than phantoms. I see this mission as nothing more than a waste of time, manpower and resources. And I believe you are a fool for even accepting this mission in the first place." I couldn't comprehend what I was hearing. And from his expression, Captain Brutus couldn't either.

"I'm a fool. Really now." Captain Brutus said. I thought I heard amusement in his voice. His eyebrows remained furrowed, but his lips formed a smirk. "Well then, why don't you tell me what else you think?"

"Oh I will certainly tell you what I think, you buffoon. I think that you-"

I never did get to hear what Darke really thought. Because the next thing I knew, a hooded figure fell from the sky and thrust a sword right through his skull.

My eyes widened. I felt my mouth slack. All I saw was the blade cut clean through Darke's skull. It was like a lock and key. It fit perfectly. Everything seemed to slow down. I looked up at Captain Brutus and saw a look of shock and anger. I saw him reach for his blade. I wanted to do the same. But my arms refused to move. My head throbbed. I could hear my heart pounding. And I felt fear grip me tight.

Two more figures descended upon my comrades, claiming two more lives in a flourish of blood and steel. My fellow soldiers roared with panic, scrambling away from the three corpses. But, as great as my desire to run was, I couldn't it. I stared, numb as the figures removed the blades from their victims, drawing up more blood and brains. They were arranged in a triangle formation. The furthest one charged towards Captain Brutus, who was armed with sword and shield. The one to my right sprinted towards the group of soldiers fleeing up the stairs. And the one to my left looked right at me.

I swore I saw my life flash before my eyes. I was ready to accept death as the Garo sprinted towards me at an inhuman speed. His swords were glistening, ready to steal my life. All I did was stand there. But then, I heard something. A gruff voice roaring my name.

"ONI!" the captain screamed at me. I snapped out of my trance and immediately brought my shield to my right side, ready to parry the slash the Garo was preparing. He swung his blade down at me. With all my strength, I parried his sword with a blow from my shield. He stumbled back, losing his balance. I reached for my sword and drew it out of the scabbard in an arc, hoping to cut my assailant.

The Garo had already stumbled out of my range and regained his balance. Hands trembling, we strafed around each other, looking for an opening. I continued strafing to the right. My foot slipped on a pile of sand and I fell to my knees. The Garo dashed forward, preparing a downward strike. Quickly, I moved my shield to block the blow, but his blade cut right through my shield and sliced my left hand. Planks of wood splattered with my blood flew in the air.

The Garo prepared to swing horizontally with his other sword. Without thinking, I leaped forward and tackled him onto the hard temple floor. I heard the clang of one of his swords as it collided with the ground. I readjusted my arm to stab him as I was on top of him, but he grabbed my arm and dug the claws from his glove into it. I yelped and dropped my sword. The Garo pushed off the ground and headbutted me. My vision went blurry as I sailed off the Garo's body and onto my back. My hearing became muffled. I began to see dark spots.

The blur that I assumed was the Garo retrieved its other sword and walked towards me. I could see his bright green eyes fill with glee as he stood over me. I was to weak to try and stop the Garo as he lifted his blades up, preparing to stab my chest. I felt the hot blood pour across my hand. My head was spinning. So this is death, I thought.

My eyes nearly bulged out of my head when I saw a blade break through the Garo's chest. A horrible shriek came from the Garo as he writhed around in agony. His blood dripped onto my face. His blades fell to the ground and he continued to scream and squirm. Finally, a pair of rough hands gripped the Garo's hooded head and snapped its neck with a sickening crack. The Garo's body fell, the blade still lodged in his chest. I stared in horror at the Garo's body. The odor of fresh blood permeated the air. Nausea began to fill me. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. I was absolutely terrified for my life. Slowly, I looked up.

Captain Brutus was standing over me. His breathing heavy, blood smeared across his face. He put his hand out to me, which I weakly accepted. Now standing, I scanned the area. And I immediately wished I hadn't. 

Bodies everywhere. Arms, legs, heads. All bloody. Bones, organs, flesh. Everywhere. My head spun again. I felt my lunch rise straight up to my mouth. I lurched over and vomited, tasting my lunch again. When I finished, I merely stood, shaking. This couldn't be happening. No. The Goddesses couldn't let something like this happen. I looked at Captain Brutus.

He looked back with tired eyes and said "You, me, and three others. We're the only survivors."

I didn't react. My mind was screaming. Out of a seventeen man squad, only FIVE survived? Only THREE enemy soldiers managed to kill TWELVE of our own?! I want to go home. Right. Now. I'm done. No more of this. I don't want anything to do with this. But I HAVE to keep going. We won't have enough soldiers if something like this happens on a larger scale. Goddesses, please help us. Lucia, I'm scared. I just want to be home with you.

But I didn't show any of my emotions. All I did was stand there. Shaking. Terrified.

"All of the Garo are dead. If that makes you feel any better." Captain Brutus said flatly. Of course it didn't make me feel better. "We're still sleeping here. Start setting up." I didn't listen. Instead, I walked out the archway of the temple ruins and sat down next to a pillar, mouth agape and eyes blank. The captain didn't object. All he did was sigh and mutter something I didn't hear.

The wind started to pick up, throwing sand into my eyes. I wiped the sand and tears out of my eyes, when my gaze caught something. Something sharp jut out of the sand in front of me. I leaned forward and brushed the sand away. Whatever was buried here was wooden. I continued brushing away the sand and picked up the object.

It was a mask. Shaped like a heart. Spikes adorning the perimeter. But the most distinctive feature were the eyes. Beady, orange eyes that captivated me in a strange way. Like all of this nightmare went away when I gazed at this mask.

I took off my pack and placed the mask into it.


End file.
